Within-Animal Variation as an Indication of the Minimal Magnitude of the Critical Effect Size for Continuous Toxicological Parameters Applicable in the Benchmark Dose Approach

In this study, the within-animal variation in routinely studied continuous toxicological parameters was estimated from temporal fluctuations in individual healthy nonexposed animals. Assuming that these fluctuations are nonadverse, this within-animal variation may be indicative of the minimal magnitude of the critical effect size (CES). The CES is defined as the breaking point between adverse and nonadverse changes in a continuous toxicological parameter, at the level of the individual organism. The total variation in the data from individual nonexposed animals was divided in variation parts due to known factors (differences in sex, animal, and day) and a residual variation, by means of analysis of variance. Using the residual variation and the estimated analytical measurement error of a toxicological parameter, the within-animal variation can be estimated. The data showed within-animal variations ranging between 0.6% and 34% for different clinical chemistry and hematological parameters in 90-day rat studies. This indicates that different (minimal) CES values may be applicable for different parameters.     

Information technology, networks and community voices

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have altered the form and structure of urban centres across the globe. Scholars suggest that hybrid spaces of electronic networks and urban sites herald the future of city planning, representing a fluidity of material place and cyberspace that transforms patterns of city life. This project examines the regenerative capabilities of ICTs in decaying urban neighbourhoods that link virtual networks of community participation and expression with the physical presence of community media centres. Using symbolic interactionism and qualitative interviews, this research suggests that inner-city residents find ICTs to be a key element in neighbourhood and community revitalization. Overall, this research considers the notion that ICTs are integral components of contemporary urban planning.     

Does it matter where I live in Western Europe?

Regional differentials in life expectancy at birth during the 1980s in Belgium, The Netherlands and some parts of the former Federal Republic of Germany are presented and commented upon. Life expectancy at birth during the 1980s was highest in The Netherlands, and lowest in some parts of southern Belgium. Substantial differentials existed in 1980, particularly because of differential mortality due to diseases of the circulatory system, lung cancer, breast cancer, motor vehicle accidents and suicide. These differentials persisted throughout the 1980s, but gradually converged. Gains in life expectancy were mainly due to declining cardiovascular and cerebrovascular mortality. Sharp and persistent differentials between border regions in the study area point to societal and cultural forces bringing about dividing lines between relatively homogeneous mortality profiles.On présente et commente ici les différences d'espérance de vie à la naissance observées durant les années 1980 en Belgique, en Hollande et dans certaines parties de l'ancienne RFA. L'espérance de vie à la naissance était la plus élevée en Hollande et la plus basse dans certaines parties du sud de la Belgique. Des différences importantes existaient en 1980, particulièrement liées à la mortalité différentielle due aux maladies de l'appareil circulatoire, au cancer du poumon et du sein, aux accidents de véhicules à moteur et au suicide. Ces différences diminuent graduellement au cours des années 1980, mais persistent toujours. Les gains d'espérance de vie ont été surtout dus à un déclin de la mortalité cardiovasculaire et cérébrovasculaire. Des différences importantes qui subsistent toujours entre régions frontières signalent des effets sociaux et culturels qui entraînent des lignes de démarcation entre des profils de mortalité relativement homogènes.     

Living Options for Physically Disabled Adults: A Review

Over the last 20 years changing social attitudes towards disabled people and their own burgeoning aspirations have been reflected in every aspect of living arrangements. The United Kingdom literature is reviewed with reference to influences from Northern Europe and the U.S.A. Demand is increasing for wide spread availability of a range of options; implications for the social services are discussed.     

Group egoism; investigating collective action and individual rationality

The paper discusses rationality at two levels. According to a common opinion the key to rationality at the group level is a willingness to contribute unselfishly at the individual level. I claim that even when rationality at the individual level is denied, it is often achieved by social punishment. The difficulty to organize a social project is exaggerated. The relative ease of implementing individual rationality has the disadvantage of frequently establishing and maintaining social order that, despite some enthusiastic proponents, fails to deliver rationality at the group level.     

Network Parenting in International Service Development

This paper explores theoretical and practical aspects (i.e. resources allocated, activities undertaken, actors/decisions involved) of corporate 'parenting' in the development of international service networks. A review of the relevant corporate strategy, supply-chain, networks and services management literature underpins a preliminary content (capability; market orientation) and process (top-down; bottom-up) typology of network parenting. This provides the structure for discussion of two telecommunications-sector case studies. Analysis of the data acknowledges the influence of generic network mechanisms (e.g. weak and strong social ties) but the parenting typology also highlights other mechanisms, the effectiveness of which appears contingent on specific parenting roles. The paper details these roles (labelled: governing; training; curating; facilitating) and makes some preliminary comments on the role trajectories (e.g. governing ↔ training) observed. The paper concludes with a discussion of possible directions for future work.     

Corporate planning in the Netherlands

This article is the result of an investigation into the practice of corporate planning in 20 major Dutch companies. The results emphazise some of the problems regarding the corporate planner and his role in the firm. Those problems are such that it is not unrealistic to speak of some sort of “identity crisis”.